The present invention relates to a bicycle saddle. In particular, the saddle according to the invention is the result of an improvement of the saddle described in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 7,537,281, granted May 26, 2009.
In order to understand the characteristics of the bicycle saddle according to the invention, and the structural ergonomic difference that distinguishes it from all other bicycle saddles available on the market today, the innovation should be presented in a context of medical science, which in the world of professional athletes, constitutes an important work instrument necessary to obtain better performance.
In order to demonstrate specifically what problems bicycle saddles currently available on the market can provoke for cyclists who use bicycles for long or short road distances, scientific research has been carried out in the field of Urology.
Many urologists in certain universities in both the United States and in Europe carried out research studies between 1986 and 2002, on the effect of the temporary, and in many cases, even the permanent lack of sensitivity in the penis, that occurs as a result of the vascular compression of the perineal structures when the cyclist is seated on the bicycle saddles that are still on the market; the data obtained from this research have been used by urologists who have deducted that the long narrow tip of the saddle is the aspect which causes the aforesaid health problems.
For a correct definition, we will provide summary of two scientific research surveys conducted by the most famous urologists. The first, the American urologist Irwin Goldstein, who in the research survey he conducted in 1996, already suggested that there existed a danger of impotence for men who rode bicycles. Goldstein sustained that the problem lay in the saddle; this because of the form of the saddle with the narrow hard tip which caused a pressing of the perineum (Article published in the magazine Panorama dated 29 Nov. 2001) and scientific study conducted with Nehra A., Goldstein I., Pabby A., Nugent M., Huang Y H., de las Morenas A., Krane R J., Udelson D., Saenz de Tejada I., Moreland R B. Mechanism of venous leakage: a prospective clinicopathological correlation of corporeal function and structure. J. Urol. 1996 October; 156(4)1320-9).
The second urologist, Ulrich Schwarzer of THE DEPARTMENT OF UROLOGY, UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTRE OF COLOGNE, 50924 GERMANY, conducted with Frank Sommer, Theodor Klotz, Claus Cremer, Udo Englemann, first in 1999, then again in 2002.
The conclusions of this study states the following:
It was possible to demonstrate that the most important factor for protecting the blood flow of the penis, does not depend on the amount of padding, but on the length of the saddle, which can prevent the compression of the structures of the pelvic floor, and the compression of the deep artery and vein of the penis on the pubic arch.
Below is a list of various documents concerning state of the art in relation to the present finding including brief comments:                U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,089—saddle that is ergonomically unsuitable for use on bicycles for touring or bike racing.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,025—saddle which house only the muscles of hip and which prevents hip articulation during pedal action; moreover since the ischial-pubic rami do not find a support, the whole weight of the human body trunk is supported by the hands on the handlebars.        Patent No. DE 298 23 624 U1—the saddle presents the flat and very wide rear portion, and when the cyclist is seated, the coccyx touches the surface of the saddle and the articulation of the hip is prevented even further; the two front parts are long and narrow and interfere with the cremasteric fascia surrounding the spermatic cord provoking pain in the testicles.        KAISERLICHES PATENTSHRIFT no. 84678—the saddle presents two very wide flat rear parts; when the cyclist is seated the coccyx touches the surface and the articulation of the hip is limited during the pedalling action; while the two front tips are long and narrow and interfere with the cremasteric fascia surrounding the spermatic cord provoking pain in the testicles; the front centre line channel is too short to avoid the compression of the pelvic floor structures, thus limiting the blood flow of the penis.        KAISERLICHES PATENTSHRIFT no. 82605—the saddle presents very wide flat rear parts; when the cyclist is seated the coccyx touches the surface of the saddle and the articulation of the hip is limited during the pedalling action; while the front tips are long and narrow and interfere with the cremasteric fascia surrounding the spermatic cord provoking pain in the testicles;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,626—from the drawing it is obvious that this refers to a small saddle, where the external parts of the hip muscles are housed and the articulation is limited by the shape of the front tips which are directed upwards.        U.S. Pat. No. 1,858,477—this is a motorcycle saddle with a very wide perimeter, which if used on a bicycle, will limit pedalling action considerably.        U.S. Pat. No. 605,673—saddle with a long narrow tip, and during use, this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the body, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,151 B1,—saddle with the flat rear surface part, so that when the cyclist is seated, the coccyx touches the saddle surface; the tip is long and narrow with a centre channel 24, ergonomically very narrow, and during bicycle use, this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis. The tip 16 has a rounded shape in appearance.        EUROPEAN Patent No. EP 1 281 607 A1.—the saddle has the long narrow tip, and during bicycle use, this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.        INTERNATIONAL Patent PUBLICATION no. WO 03/039942A1—the saddle has the long narrow tip, and during bicycle use, this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery ad vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,624—the saddle has the long narrow tip, and during bicycle use, this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,030,035—the saddle has a flat rear surface and when the cyclist is seated, the coccyx touches the saddle surface, the tip is long and narrow, and during bicycle use, this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,222—saddle has the rear part 15, 14, 15 with a convex shape in an upward direction with a flat surface and when the cyclist is seated, the coccyx touches the saddle surface, the tip is long and narrow, and during bicycle use, this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.        INTERNATIONAL Patent No. 99/14103—saddle has the flat rear surface and when the cyclist is seated, the coccyx touches the surface; the tip is long and narrow with a narrow centre channel and during bicycle use this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,662 B1—the saddle has a long narrow tip and during bicycle use, this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,230—the saddle has a long narrow tip and during bicycle use, this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis; the terminal rounded part is limited to being simply for the sake of appearance.        SELLE ITALIA No. XP-002284753—the PROLINK ZERO saddles have a long narrow tip and when during their use, this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis; the terminal end shape of the tip which is rounded or slightly convex in a downward direction, is attributed for the sake of appearance and not for ergonomic reasons.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,572 B1—saddle has a long and narrow tip with a narrow centre channel and during bicycle use this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis; the terminal part of the tip is rounded in a downward direction, and is for the sake of appearance and not for ergonomic reasons.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,205—the saddle has a long and narrow and during bicycle use this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.        BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHELAND Patent no. DE 299 07 473 U1 dated, 9 Sep. 1999—the saddle has a flat rear part and when the cyclist is seated, the coccyx touches its surface; the tip is long and narrow and during bicycle use this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,122 B1.—the saddle has a long and narrow and during bicycle use this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.        INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION No. WO 92/11175—the saddle has a long and narrow and during bicycle use this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis.—US Patent No. US 2001/0045765 A1—the saddle has a long and narrow and during bicycle use this causes the compression of the pudenda arteries, of the prostate, the deep dorsal artery and vein of the penis and testicles, thus compromising the blood flow of the penis; the end shape of the tip slightly convex in a downward direction, is simply attributed for the sake of appearance and not for ergonomic reasons.        